


easter break

by CelestialCeci



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Reader Insert, The violence isn't that bad, deathly hallows retelling, draco x reader - Freeform, it's just because hermione's torture scene is in there that i put the warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-14 13:18:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17509343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialCeci/pseuds/CelestialCeci
Summary: Draco invites you to Malfoy Manor over Easter break during your last year at Hogwarts. What you hoped would be a fine visit to Draco’s house with his family is anything but. (established relationship)





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> hey, i hope you guys enjoy this retelling of the scene from deathly hallows. obviously it’s not the same as the book OR the movie, but i mostly based this off the movie scene. lots of soft draco in the beginning :D

You woke on Wednesday morning to dark clouds in the sky, the light coming through the window uncharacteristically dim. Your fingertips slid across the soft silken sheets of the bed, and you turned over to cuddle close to your personal heater, not wanting to get up just yet. Your arms only discovered empty sheets. You opened your eyes again and looked across the room. He was out of bed already, getting dressed in front of the wardrobe.

Draco Malfoy was not your boyfriend. You had decided not to call each other that so that if anything bad was to happen, you wouldn’t have to lie and say that the two of you were together. You had been the one to recommend it after Draco had received his Mark. Yet, here you were on your Easter break, living in Malfoy Manor and sleeping in his bed not even in secret.

You brought your hand up to rest your head on it, and felt the press of cool metal against your cheek. That was another thing- Draco had given you his family ring to wear at the beginning of the year, at the Malfoy’s extravagant annual New Year’s party. It was even more comical now when your housemates would ask if you were official yet, and you always retorted back “He’s not my boyfriend”. Your seventh year at Hogwarts was difficult for both of you. The school itself was a mess with Snape at the helm, and the fact that you were knowingly spending your short reprieve from it all in the very house the Dark Lord held his meetings in would’ve given second-year you a conniption. For the past three years, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had been nothing but tolerant of your relationship, and welcomed you into your home when Draco was brave enough to invite you.

Ever since last year when Draco had become a Death Eater, he was always sure to keep you in the light about the happenings between his family and the Dark Lord, even though his parents had asked him to only tell you what was necessary. You found it hard to believe Lucius would let an outsider like you into his home during such a tense time, but Draco’s parents had been the ones to personally extend this invitation.

Good thing your parents had never met each other.

“Morning, sweets,” Draco came over and kissed your forehead. “Planning on getting up anytime soon?”

You closed your eyes as his lips touched your skin, his hand caressing your cheek gently. “Mmm, yes. I want to keep working with the plants again today.” You’d both spent your first half of the break in the Manor’s store/work room, where Draco worked on potions and you were training yourself to heal injuries without use of your wand.

“Okay. I’m going down right now. I had a dream last night about and I think it might help me with the metal potion I’ve been working on.” You loved the way his eyes lit up when he was talking about something he was genuinely interested in.

“You’re not going to eat breakfast?” You frowned.

“Don’t worry, I’ll eat later.” He patted you on the cheek, and got up from where he’d been sitting on the bed, buttoning his jacket.

After Draco left, you dozed a little longer before getting up. You washed your face and dressed in you favorite plaid trousers and a turtle neck, and did your hair in the mirror. You reached in the collar of your shirt and pulled out your necklace, your first anniversary gift from Draco. The slender silver chain had a tiny circle pendant that had the draco constellation carved into it.

“I think it’s dumb when girls wear their boyfriends initial, but I know how much you love astrology…” He’d explained when you’d opened the tiny box.

Now, as you looked at your necklace and the ring on your finger in the mirror, dressed in mostly black and standing in your luxurious bathroom, you realized just how tied together you were. Shit.

Down on the bottom floor of the Manor, you entered the kitchens well after breakfast to find something to eat. One of the house elves offered to make you an omelette, and you accepted, on the condition they let you assist. You sat in the kitchen eating the warm eggs and vegetables while the elf cleaned, when you looked up to see Narcissa standing in the doorway.

“Good morning, Ms. Narcissa,” you said, hastily swallowing the giant bite you’d just taken. After your fifth visit to the manor, Draco’s mother insisted you could stop calling her Ms. Malfoy. You felt uncomfortable addressing her with just her first name, though. Somehow, you didn’t think this casual adress extended to Mr. Malfoy.

“Y/N, I was wondering if you’d like to accompany me to Horizont Ally today. I’m going to pick up some things from the tailor, and we could have you fitted for some skirts.”

“I would love to,” you say.

“Wonderful.” Narcissa smiled. “ You can get your coat and meet me in the front hall.”

You finish your breakfast quickly and run back to your room to get your coat from the wardrobe, your wand, and your wallet. On your way back down the stairs you stop by the store room to tell Draco where you’re going. “Your mum invited me shopping, so we’ll probably be gone for a few hours,” you say from the doorway, shrugging on your coat.

Draco looks slightly surprised. “Really? Oh, well, have a good time.”

“Bye.”

You meet Narcissa downstairs, and you exit through the Manor’s front doors. On the stoop, she offers you her arm. As soon as you grab her arm, you feel the familiar squeeze of apparating come over your body. It goes as quickly as it comes, and you find yourselves in the busy streets of Horizont Ally. Narcissa ushers you into a quiet side street, and she steers you towards a shop with a hanging sign that says “Paxon’s”.

Oh. Paxon’s was one of the nicest clothing stores wizarding London had to offer. People came here to get ball dresses and wedding gowns, not just ‘fitted for skirts’. As you entered the shop behind Narcissa, you mentally slapped yourself for not remembering just who you were with.

“Ah, Ms. Malfoy, it’s nice to see you.” The clerk behind the desk looked up as the two of you came in. You were the only ones there. “Let me go get Mr. Paxon for you.” He disappeared into the back, and another assistant, much younger, came out from behind the desk to take your coats.

“Ms. Narcissa?” You whispered nervously.

“Yes, dear?”

“Um, I’m sorry, but when you invited me I didn’t realize this is where we would be coming. I don’t think I brought enough money with-”

“Nonsense!” Narcissa put her hand on your arm and smiled at you. “Consider it a gift.”

Before you could say anything else, an older man with spectacles came out with the clerk from before. “Hello, Narcissa. What can I do for you today?”

“I’m here to pick up some things for my son and my husband, and I’d like to have some skirts fitted for my daughter-in-law.”

You nearly choked. Did she really just say that? Mr. Paxon didn’t even blink, and the two continued their conversation as normal while you felt your cheeks get hot. You became acutely aware of the metal on your ring finger, and fought the urge to slip it off and into your trouser pocket.

After an hour and a half of you standing on the pedestal in the corner in front of the three way mirror, the clerk boxed up your three new floor-length skirts (with pockets, as you requested). The other assistant brought out more boxes of clothes with you assumed were for Draco and his father. You tried to tune out the clerk as Narcissa paid what must have been an astronomical fee.

You exited the shop, two large bags in hand. “Let’s go to Marlowe’s, also. They have very nice blouses.” Narcissa led you back down the street to another shop.

You went with Narcissa to two other stores, where she bought you and herself more clothes. As much as you worried about the amount of money she was spending, and when you would even find the occasions to wear all these clothes for, you were genuinely having a nice time. Draco’s mum was so nice to you when you were at the house, and you guessed this was just her way of spending time with you.

Daughter-in-law. As you watched a silky, moss green blouse with wonderful flowing sleeves get wrapped in tissue paper, it finally clicked in your brain. If you were going to live at Malfoy Manor, you’d be expected to dress nicely all the time. The thought made your heart race.

You locked arms with Narcissa again as you aparated home. “Thank you again, Ms. Narcissa. Really, I can’t say enough.”

“Of course, dear. I hope you’ll enjoy them. Besides, it’s impossible to find clothes that are well-made these days. They will last you a long time.” She waved her hand dismissively.

She handed off her bags to a house elf, and excused herself saying she would see you again at dinner. You took your bags upstairs on your own. After hanging your new things in the wardrobe, you went back downstairs to the store room. Draco was just where you’d left him, stooped over the table with the cauldron boiling and tiny jars spread across the table, his notebook open next to him. An abandoned plate in the corner let you know he’d at least eaten something since you’d gone. He’d shed his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves in the heat, and you tried not to look at his Dark Mark when you cleared your throat.

Draco looked up from his work, smiling at the sight of you. “Hey.”

“Hi. Guess what I got you?”

“What?”

You pulled a book out from behind your back and grinned: Comprehensive Geological Manual on Metals. You’d bought it from one of the stores while you were out. “I don’t know if this will help you much, but you can take a look.”

Draco’s face lit up as you walked over, and he took the book from you. “Thank you, sweets! I’ll look though it tonight.” He placed the book delicately besides his notes. “How was it? Did mother give you too much trouble?”

“No, it was fun,” you said, pulling a stool out to sit on and leaning your elbow on the table. “She bought me too many things, though. And she wouldn’t let me help pay!”

Draco chuckled. “Of course. Where did you go?”

“Um, Paxon’s, some other places… Pansy is going to be livid if she sees me walking around in those skirts at school! 'Y/L/N, where did you get those!’”, you said in a squeaky voice, mocking.

“And I’ll just tell her to piss off,” Draco replied.

Later that night as you got ready for bed, you examined the ring on your finger. The silver snake curled around itself, an emerald eye winking at you. “Draco?” You called from you place in front of the vanity.

“Hm?”

“Today, at Paxon's… your mum called me her daughter-in-law.”

Draco, who was changing into his pyjamas, stopped mid-putting his shirt on. “She did?”

“Yes.”

“…Did it make you feel uncomfortable?” He ventured.

You thought. “No. It was just a surprise, that’s all.” You lapsed back into quiet for a moment. “When do your parents want you to get married?”

This was never something you’d talked about. Draco always told you he loved you and wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. But your own family members were never ones to dote on you about how you were growing up, or fantasize about your future wedding or children. It was something you thought about of course, but you were both still only seventeen

You watched Draco in the mirror as he sat down on the edge of the bed. “They’ve never told me outright, but ever since I started at Hogwarts I knew either they would pick someone suitable for me or have to approve… I dunno, once I graduated, I suppose.”

You turn around on the vanity bench. “At eighteen?”

“Sure. But, I guess if you’re asking if they would make us get married after school, they can’t force us to do anything. Is that what you’re worried about?”

“I suppose.” You echo. You put your hairbrush on the vanity and look down at your hands.

“Hey,” Draco says softly.

You look over your shoulder and he’s scooted back on the bed, patting his legs. You jump up from the bench and scurry across the wood floor in your nightgown and into his arms. You sigh in content as his arms wrap around you and you inhale his clean scent.

“I’m glad mother said that to you today. To me, them inviting you here even with everything that’s going on, letting us stay together at night, and her saying that makes me feel better about how they feel. I was so afraid they would hate you, that… they would forbid us from seeing each other. But they really like you, my mum especially. It’s her opinion I care about more anyway.”

“That makes me happy,” you say. “It’s funny though, considering I’m not even your girlfriend.” You look up at him.

Draco’s face changes to concern for only a moment before picking up on your joke. “Of course. They never believe anything I say.”

Together, you flop back onto the sheets, laughing. Draco smooths a piece of hair away from your face. “I love you, Dray.”

“I love you too, Y/N.”


	2. two

Two days later, the two of you were in the store room together. Draco, pouring over the book you had given him, and you mending your plants. You were wearing one of your new outfits, an apron on over it to keep your new skirt clean. You cut small slits in the leaves with scissors, and held your hands over them for a few seconds to mend them. You smiled at your results- you were getting faster, and the leaves were nearly perfect again. In another day or so, you would have it mastered.

All was quiet in the store room, when you heard a commotion downstairs. Draco and you both looked up as you heard the large front doors being opened, and Bellatrix’s macinal laugh could be heard two floors up. You shivered.

Draco’s psychopathic, Death Eater aunt had never bothered you personally. You’d only ever met her once before, and you were glad. Since you’d heard she was coming to the house earlier that day, you had told Draco you didn’t want to see her. Being in the same room as an escaped Azkaban prisoner was where you drew the line at being comfortable with the Malfoy’s involvement with the Dark Lord.

You tried to calm your beating heart and go back to your plants, when the door to the store room creaked open. Lucius stood in the doorway. “Draco.”

Draco cast you a glace, and then got up to join his father in the hall. You snipped another leaf and tried to focus, but you could hear their hushed whispers even with the door closed. Surely a peek couldn’t hurt….You tiptoed closer to the door, and took slow breaths as to hear better.

“Absolutely not. I will not let you involve her in our family matters-” Draco hissed.

“I. Don’t. Care. She is staying under my roof, and will do as I say. While I live and breathe, Draco, I make the rules here. I don’t care what you’ve told her.” Lucius spat back. _Were they talking about you?_

“Father, you promised me that while she’s here we won’t involve her with anything the Dark Lord has asked of us!” Draco pleaded. _Oh, fuck. It was you._

“I’m giving you two minutes for both of you to get downstairs. If not, there will be consequences.”

You jumped away from the door and went back to where your plants were. A second later, the door opened. Draco walked in silently and slipped his suit jacket on.

“What was all that?” You asked, trying to sound as normal as possible.

Draco didn’t look up. “Some Snatchers have brought some people in the house. They… they want me… they want us to identify them as Potter, Weasley and Granger.”

Your heart momentarily stopped. At school, you were friendly with the trio. As friendly as you could be, being Draco’s known not-girlfriend. You looked down at your hands, as a realization came rushing into your mind. “Is it them?”

“I don’t know. It could be.” Draco walked over to your side of the table and took your hands in his. “You don’t have to do this. I told you that you don’t have to do anything that has to do with the Dark Lord and I meant it.”

But you knew that was a lie. This was a test. Just like how Narcissa had accepted you, Lucius hadn’t, and this was your chance to prove yourself. Just like you’d seen Draco do so many times with his parents, you put on a mask of indifference. “It’s fine,” you said, untying your apron and slipping your wand into the special belt you had on. “Let’s go.”

You descended the stairs in silence. The doors to the drawing room on the first floor were closed, and Draco opened one of them, going in first. You felt like you were going to pass out, your heart was going a mile a minute. In the room there were five snatchers, Lucius and Narcissa, and Aunt Bellatrix. Two of the snatchers held Ron and Hermione by their collars, wands pointed at their throats. Both of them looked like hell. Ron’s hair and face were a dirty mess, and Hermione’s long curly locks had seen better days. You had to dig your nails into your palms to center yourself. Ron and Hermione looked absolutely shocked by your presence in this strange gathering, and you looked away from them quickly. You couldn’t let Draco’s parents, and especially not his aunt, know you recognized each other.

“Draco!” Bellatrix gasped in delight upon seeing her nephew. Her eyes landed on you, and she licked her lips in delight, a crazed smile on her face. “Ooh, and your girlfriend is here too! Oh, Y/N, how I’ve missed you dearie!” She reached out and grazed the edge of your jaw with her long nails, and you fought off a flinch. “Come, come!” She gestured towards the other side of the room.

Stiffly, you and Draco followed Bellatrix as she giddily skipped over to one of the other snatchers. She pushed him aside and grabbed the third prisoner by the hair, tilting his face up towards you and Draco. “Well?” Bellatrix prodded. “Is it him? Harry Potter?”

You and Draco looked down at who was most definitely Harry Potter for a moment. Draco spoke first. “I can’t be sure.”

You nearly gasped. Draco wasn’t going to tell? You’d have thought Draco would just hand them over, and you wouldn’t have to say anything, but he didn’t. Lucius came over and gripped Draco’s shoulder “Draco, son, think of what would happen if we were the ones to hand Harry Potter over to the Dark Lord,” He whispered, almost frantic. “Everything, would be as it was.”

“I don’t know,” Draco insisted.

Bellatrix’s wide gaze went to you. “Y/N? What do you think?”

Carefully, you knelt down in front of Harry. His face had been horribly disfigured, and it honestly could have been someone else, had Ron and Hermione not been with him. You saw the outline of a mangled scar on his forehead. “What’s wrong with his face?” You asked.

“Yes, what is wrong with his face?” Bellatrix released Harry’s hair and stood, leaving you the closest to Harry.

“He came to us like that,” the lead Snatcher said. “Something he picked up in the forest, I reckon.”

Carefully, you reached up and brushed back Harry’s bangs, and closed your eyes for a second. When you opened them, the scar had reduced considerably. “If it was him,” you said, standing and moving to the side to let the other’s see, pushing back Harry’s fringe. “Wouldn’t he have the scar? The lightning?”

Bellatrix came back over, getting very close to Harry’s face. Her face turned into a sneer. “Perhaps… Let me see her wand! I’ll see what her last spell was.”

While Bellatrix obtained Hermione’s wand from one of the snatchers you stepped back from Harry, your mind racing. You knew Hermione must have done this on purpose. If Bellatrix used Priori Incantatem on her wand, they would surely be exposed. It was then you saw the light glint off something one of the Snatcher was holding, and you almost couldn’t believe your luck. You took two smooth strides across the room, your skirt swishing around your legs. “What is that?”

The snatcher looked down at his hand, where he held the Sword of Gryffindor. “Found it in her bag while we were searching her. Guess it’s mine now.”

“Give it to me.” You said as primly as possible, stretching out your hand and turning up your nose. It worked, and the snatcher handed over the sword without another word. All eyes in the room were on you as you turned, examining the sword in your hands. Bellatrix’s eyes turned to fury.

“Is that what I think it is?” She seethed.

“The Sword of Gryffindor,” you answered.

Bellatrix snapped into action, casting jinxs nonverbally at all the Snatchers. You lept to the side to narrowly avoid a chain as it wrapped around one of their throats, your hands digging into the cold metal of the sword.

“OUT! GET OUT, ALL OF YOU!” Bellatrix screamed. The Snatchers stumbled over each other as they ran for the door. “Sissy! Put the boys in the cellar!”

Narcissa jumped from her husband’s side, grabbing Harry by the collar and pointing her wand at Ron. She led them back towards the end of the room towards the cellar door, leading them down to where they would be held. Bellatrix turned on Hermione. “I’m going to have a little chat with this one! Girl to girl!”

She threw Hermione down on the floor with such force her head bounced, and you flinched. Your mask had come down; your hands were shaking and you couldn’t tear your eyes away as Bellatrix produced a knife seemingly out of nowhere.

Narcissa reappeared by your side and pulled you out of the way, leading you back to Draco. She took the sword from your hands, giving you a sad look. Lucius was watching the scene on his drawing room floor unfold, with what you considered, too much anticipation. Draco’s face was plastered with indifference, but he gripped your hand so hard it was painful. You squeezed back, pressing your shoulder against his.

Bellatrix dragged her knife across Hermione’s arm, and she screamed. “What else did you take? Tell me! TELL ME!”

Hermione’s animistic screams were almost too much to take. You squeezed your eyes shut as her cries rang across the empty room followed by her sobs. You tried to remember to breathe, focusing on Draco’s hand in yours.

“Useless mudblood,” Bellatrix muttered. She waved her wand and Hermione slid across the floor, limp and sniffling. You saw the bleeding word 'MUDBLOOD’ carved into her arm and felt lightheaded. “Get the goblin,” Bellatrix growled.

Narcissa went to the stairs again, and returned with a goblin who you immediately recognized as the head teller of Gringotts. Narcissa led him at wand-point to a chair she summoned, and Bellatrix wasted no time turning on him with her knife. “Why did you let this atrocity into my vault!” She screeched.

This was getting to much for you. You tried to tell yourself to be strong, so you could pass the test Draco’s father had set out for you, but this wasn’t who you were. Your mind was spinning, your stomach was churning, and the gentle circles Draco was tracing onto the back of your hand with his thumb were not enough comfort. You began to not hear Bellatrix’s yelling, instead the blood rushing in your ears growing louder and louder.

The sound of a spell broke you out of your trance. There was Ron at the top of the stairs, with Harry at his heels. Shit.

Bellatrix’s wand flew out of her hand. On instinct your hand flew to the wand at your hip, ready to duel. Harry stupefied Lucius, and he flew back across the room. Draco and Narcissa readied their wands to battle, but the sight of your friends made you hesitate. Ron looked you in the eye, and you lowered your wand, just a fraction. It was enough for him.

You let Ron stupefy you, and you slammed into the wall, your wand rolling away from you helplessly. Draco and Narcissa traded jinxes with Harry and Ron for just a moment before Bellatrix’s voice cut through the air. “Stop! Drop your wands!”

You sat up and turned to look. Hermione was held up by Bellatrix, her knife at her throat. Lucius had recovered like you, and walked back over, a smug look on his face. Harry’s charm was finally wearing off, and his face slowly regained it’s normal appearance. He and Ron dropped their wands in defeat.

“Draco, go!” Bellatrix hissed.

Draco stumbled forward, grabbing Ron and Harry’s wands off the floor. He stepped back, coming over to where you were and helped you up. “Are you okay?” He whispered quickly. You nodded back.

“Well well well, if it isn’t Harry Potter, all shiny and new again.” Bellatrix said with a wicked smile back on her face. “Call him!” She cried.

Lucius stepped forward, and pulled back his sleeve. Ron and Harry looked helpless. As Lucius’s hand hovered over his forearm, you were overcome with fear. The thought of being in the presence of Voldemort was enough to make you pass out.

And that’s exactly what you did.

You woke up not too much later, you knew, because you were still in the drawing room. Draco was above you, one hand under your head. In the middle of the floor was a shattered chandelier that must have fallen while you were unconscious. Draco’s parents and Bellatrix were having heated discussion, almost on the verge of yelling. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were gone.

“I didn’t pass,” you said faintly. You rolled onto your side and were overcome with dizziness, and you squeezed your eyes shut.

“What? What are you talking about?” Draco whispered, putting his free hand on your shoulder.

“The test… your dad… gave me… I didn’t…”

Footsteps sounded across the floor, echoing loudly in your dizzy skull. They stopped next to uou and Draco. “Take her back to your room.” It was Narcissa.

“I’m going to pick you up now, okay?” Draco whispered into your ear. He moved his hand from under your head, and the cool floor felt nice on your flushed skin. Draco’s arms came under your shoulders and your legs, and he lifted you up. You rocked against his chest as he carried you down the hall. “Dray, why don’t you just use your wand?” You said, faintly.

“Potter took it,” he ground out.

Your hand grabbed at his shirt with sudden urgency. “Mine?”

“I have it, but… it won’t work for me, I don’t think.” In your still-recovering mind, you remembered Draco had trouble wielding Phoenix feather wands. You felt dumb for asking.

“Sorry,” you mumbled.

“It’s okay, sweets.” Once in your bedroom, he placed you gently on the bed. He returned with a cup of water from the bathroom, and you felt well enough to sit up and sip from it while Draco sat next to you. Your wand lay on the side table, and you held back from grabbing it. You put the cup down and took Draco’s hand.

He pulled you into an embrace. “I’m so, so sorry,” he said into your hair. You could hear the choke in the back of his throat, and your grabbed onto the back of his jacket.

“It wouldn’t have changed anything, Draco.”

“I know, but you shouldn’t have had to be there.”

“Yes I did.” You knew Draco well enough. He’d pieced it together- he was only saying that to make you feel better.

Silence followed. “We lied,” You said, finally.

“Yes.”

“…What’s going to happen?”

“I don’t know.” He pulled out of the hug, wiping at his face with his hand as a tear rolled down his cheek.

You grabbed him again, pulling him down onto the bed with you this time. You held each other, and you felt your own tears pricking your eyes as you wiped Draco’s off his face. Eventually, he stopped crying and you buried your face into the crook of his neck. “I don’t know.”


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> people on tumblr asked for more so i am delivering :)

You woke up to the feeling of Draco’s hot breath on your neck and sweat between your legs. You couldn’t feel your entire left arm, as Draco was lying on it. As the events of yesterday came back to you, you felt your chest constrict with anxiety. Immediately you wished for the void of sleep again. As gently as you could, you slid your arm from beneath Draco’s torso, gently rubbing it to get the feeling back. Your neck was sore- you and Draco hadn’t moved in your sleep all night.

Despite how you tried not to move very much, Draco stirred, blinking his eyes sleepily as he woke. The sight of his slate-grey eyes looking so sad first thing in the morning made you want to start crying all over again.

Today there were no ‘good morning’s’. Instead, Draco just opened his arms back up and you held each other again, this time in a more comfortable position. 

After being awake for a while, you heard the telltale sound of a house elf apparating into a room. “Master Draco, I apologize for the intrusion, but your presence is required downstairs at once,” the elf growled from somewhere at the foot of the bed, disapparating without further comment.

“For the love of Merlin,” Draco muttered. He kicked off the blankets and you unattached yourselves, and Draco slipped on some pants and a robe. 

You sat up, pulling the sheets around your shoulders. Draco lifts your face to his for a quick kiss. “I’ll make sure this doesn’t take too long,” he says. “I hate to leave you alone.”

You put your hand over his and lift his fingers up to your lips. “I’ll be okay,” you whisper against his hand. 

Draco lets go of your hand and disappears before your eyes. You lay back on the pillows and stare out across the gardens. Today, it is sunny.

 

“It was mother… she said I’m not to go back to school for the rest of the term. I’m not supposed to be telling you this, any of this actually. She said I was to ask you where your loyalties lie and to make a decision about joining our family or not, but I can’t do that to you.” Draco lay flat on the bed, gaze locked on the canopy above as you stroked his fine blonde hair.

“Why? Why can’t you come back to school?” You have a sick feeling you already know.

“Father and Aunt Bella think the time is drawing near. I don’t know what Potter and the others are up to but I think we’re about at the end of the line, y/n.” He turns his head to look at you. “The war.”

Your heart catches in your throat, and your hand stills on Draco’s hair. He shoots into a sitting position and puts his hands on your cheeks. “Listen to me, y/n. I love you so, so much. I’ve already failed once. If I don’t do what my parents want, what  _ he _ wants, we could all die. I can’t let anything happen to you, and I won’t. If something happens, I’ll come for you, I swear it.”

“I know,” you sigh, leaning into his hand. “Will you tell me what’s going on? Will you write?”

“I’ll tell you everything I know. I refuse to let anything like yesterday happen again,” Draco says feverently.

You spend the rest of the day in your shared room, packing and eating a small lunch. In the late afternoon, you dress in your uniform. Draco watches you in the mirror as you tie your colored tie. “Should I say goodbye to your parents?” You sort of hope the answer is no.

“Maybe we should just go downstairs as usual and hope we don’t encounter them.” Draco deadpans. It makes you smile a little. 

You walk down the stairs, your trunk levitating behind you. “I’m sorry about your wand,” you say again.

“It’s fine,” he says, but you know it’s not. Draco was very attached to his first wand. “I’ll get it back.”

Outside in the manor’s driveway, your trunk gently settles to the ground. You give Draco one last hug. “I’ll miss you,” you breath into the crook of his neck.

“I’ll miss you so much,” he replies, one hand curling up into your hair to pull you closer. “Please stay safe.”

“I can handle myself,” you remind him.

“I know.” You can feel Draco’s smile against your temple. You pull away, and he kisses your forehead. One small wave goodbye, and you clutch your bag and apparate to the street outside of Kings Cross.

When you finally arrive back at Hogwarts, you try to be your normal positive self. “How was break, y/n?”  _ Fine.  _ “Do any of your homework?”  _ Of course not. _ “Did you and Draco have lots of alone time?”, with a wink _. Enough, _ also with a wink. “Where is he?”  _ Still at home, he had family visiting. _ But as you laid in your bed back in your dorm, you couldn’t shake the cold feeling of the sheets around you, missing having a certain someone to cuddle up with.

The first few weeks back passed without much incident, but every time you heard whispers of Ron, Harry, and Hermione’s names, you would shiver. You would still listen though, just to make sure they weren’t dead. 

Students from all years were being punished daily, and it seemed the only upside so far of Draco not being at school with you was no longer needing to sneak out under the noses of the Carrow twins to meet in the nighttime. You sent him a letter every other day, making sure to send your owl in the early hours of afternoon so Draco would receive them in the nighttime to reduce their chances of being intercepted. He’d write back at least bi-weekly, making sure to fill you in on any happenings. However, it seemed since the failed capture at the Manor over Easter break, Bellatrix had left and Lucius had not heard any new news from the Dark Lord. Neither of you were sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

 

The first evening in May, you were sitting in your dorm common room, when none other than Neville Longbottom burst in. “Neville, how in the bloody hell-”

“No time to explain,” he huffed, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. “One of your dorm mates told me… that you… taught yourself how to heal?” He asked.

“Um, yes, I can. Why?” 

“Come with me. Please?” He held out a hand.

You followed Neville up the staircases to the fourth floor, where he paces back and forth in front of a blank wall. “Neville, will you please-” but to words died on your lips was a small, thin door materialized out of the wall. Neville motioned for you to follow him inside.

The room was big, but almost every available spaces was crowded with hammocks strung from the walls, and mattresses on the floors. At the back of the room there was a fireplace, and in front of it were several third years who had horrible slashes up and down their arms. Instantly, your mind transported you back to the Manor, and you saw the evil glint of Bellatrix’s knife, heard Hermione’s screams. 

“Oh, god, I’m sorry,” Neville grasped your shoulders as your fought back a gag. “I, maybe should’ve warned you. But, I can’t heal them myself, not without the right plants. I was hoping you could help.”

You steadied your breathing. “No, no… it’s fine Neville. I can do it.” You gave him what you hoped was an encouraging smile.

One by one, you healed the cuts on the third years. Your work by now was nearly perfect, and only the deep ones ended in scars. After the last student was healed, you slumped against the wall, utterly exhausted.

“Thank you so much, I knew I could count on you,” Neville said, sounding relieved. 

“Of course,” you replied, but inwardly you cringed. Neville shouldn’t trust you. No one should. “What is this place?”

“We’re hiding here, from the mess outside.” Neville explained. “We figured the war is coming. We’re searching for news about Harry and the others everyday, trying to keep morale up. This room is the only safe one in Hogwarts right now.”

“Are they alive?” You can’t help but ask. “Harry? Ron and Hermione?”

“We think so,” Neville says. “I think we would hear if they’d been killed, but no ones seen or heard from them since the start of the year.”

You gulp. “No news is good news, I suppose.”

“Yeah,” Neville agrees.

He offers to walk you back to your common room, but you insist you’ll be fine. The guilt of your knowledge about the trio gnaws at you, but you try to tamp it down. When you get back to your dorm, you go straight to the bathroom and turn on the shower. Sitting under the hot rain, you try to relax, but in the end your hot tears run right down the drain alongside the hot water and flecks of dried blood stuck to your hands. You miss Draco too much to think, and you lean against the wall, crying with your constellation necklace clutched in one fist and your lips pressed on your ring, hoping to Merlin he’s okay.

You’re not sure how long you’ve been sat there, but you get broken out of your stupor by one of your dorm mates yelling your name.

“Y/n! Get out of there! We’ve got to go down to the Great Hall right away, robes on!”

Shit. You shut the water off and dry as quick as you can, throwing on your uniform from earlier in the day. As you troop down to the common room with your dorm mates, you dry your hair with a wave of your wand. The Great Hall is cleared of it’s tables, and you all stand in your proper lines with the rest of your house. Complete silence envelopes the Hall as Headmaster Snape turns to address everyone The tension is palpable. 

“I’m sure many of you are wondering why I summoned you at this hour,” Snape begins. “It’s come to my attention that earlier this evening, Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmead.”

You gasp. A wave of murmurs sweeps through everyone in the room.  _ He’s alive, he’s okay, Harry’s okay. _

“Now,” Snape said loudly, cutting everyone off. “Should anyone, student or staff, attempt to aid mister Potter, they will be punished. Anyone with knowledge of these events will be treated as equally guilty.

“Now then, has anyone had any knowledge of mister Potter’s activities this evening?” Snape steps down from the front of the room, ready to walk through your rows. The only sound in the room is the tapping of Snape’s shoes, and the drag of his robes on the floor. “If so, I invite you to step forward,  _ now _ .”

Three rows back on your right, you hear someone get out of line. Astonished, you whip your head around, only to see no one other than Harry standing in the aisle, dressed in a Gryffindor robe. “It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive measures, you still have a slight breach in security, headmaster.”

The doors at the back of the Hall open, and in walks a group of people you don’t recognize, except for Ron and Hermione. But Harry isn’t finished. “How dare you stand where he stood!” He yells. “Tell them! Tell them how it happened that night! How you killed Dumbledore!”

Another gasp ripples through the students. You must be the only other person in this room who knew what happened that evening on the Astronomy tower.

With one smooth movement, Snape draws his wand. Immediately, everyone backs away, and you’re nearly crushed by the wave of people moving out of the way. Harry doesn’t even have time to draw his wand, before Professor McGonagall steps in front of him. Your dorm mate reaches out and grabs your hand. You squeeze back.

Snape and McGonagall begin trading spells. Your eyes are wide as your teachers fight. You’ve never seen grown adults fight like this, and both have a face of sheer determination. But the duel only lasts a moment, when Snape suddenly disapparates in a cloud of black, bursting through the window of the Great Hall. Everyone erupts into cheers. Everyone, except for you.

Your dorm mate tries to cling onto your hand, but you’re running. Running out of the hall and up the stairs, taking them two at a time, desperate to get to your room. As you sprint down the corridors, you can see outside: a iridescent veil is criss-crossing the sky, forming a dome around the castle. Statues in the courtyard come to life, drawing stone weapons. 

It’s happening, and neither you nor Draco were ready for it.

You burst into your dorm and begin ripping through your belongings. You frantically shuffle through Draco’s letters with shaky hands, searching for the one you’re looking for. But you’re hyperventilating, and your vision is getting fuzzy, and oh God, did you dream it? Did Draco not tell you a place to go that was safe in the castle? You can’t remember anymore, you can’t read the words on the page that are in Draco’s elegant, looping handwriting. You strip off your uniform cloak and try to get a hold of yourself. 

You’re strong. You can fight, one of the top duelists of your year. You can fight and stay safe, and you  _ will _ find Draco.

None of your roommates come back. You sit in front of the window that overlooks the east side of the school, and you wait. You wait for hours. You feel like coward, sitting in your room, watching the window, but you’re waiting, staying safe just like Draco told you to do. 

 

You almost think for a moment that you were wrong, when you see a small part of the dome turn red, then grow larger, as if it’s almost burning away. A piece of the magical dome flutters past your window, and you know it’s time. 

Outside, the corridors are chaos. Everyone is running, yelling, going to someplace they think is most safe. People are crowded in corners, bawling their eyes out. You run down the stairs, wand clutched at the ready. Down on the lower floors, you can hear jinxes hitting walls and people screaming, you pass by people laying on the floor. You try not to look too closely.

You weave in and out of familiar corridors, trying to think. Where should you go? Back to your dorm? Are Neville and the rest of those kids still in the room of requirement? Was Draco even here? You retrace your steps back the the main staircase, following a wave of students. You branch off, headed toward a corridor you know is a good shortcut to the dungeons, when you feel a hand close around the back of your collar and pull you off to the side of the corridor.

Fear takes over, and you twist out of the person’s grasp, wand at the ready. But you’re stopped by a pair of familiar lips crashing into yours, a clean scent that smells like home enveloping you as a pair of arms tug you close. As soon as the realization hits you, you push his jaw away, your eyes flying open. “Draco?” 

Soft, grey eyes lock with yours. Draco runs his fingers along your jaw. “I told you I would come for you.”

You kiss him again, deeply this time. You cling to each other with desperate need, and for a moment, the sounds and feeling of the rushing people around you fade away. Draco pulls away first this time.

“Come, hurry. I need to get my wand from Potter.” You lace your fingers together as you sprint through the halls.

“How do you know where he is?” You yell as you run.

“I overheard them on the first floor, they’re headed to the Room of Requirement.”

Sure enough, as you reach the empty fourth floor, the door to the Room of Requirement is vanishing back into nothing. For the first time, you look down and notice a wand in Draco’s hand. “Who’s is that?”

“Mother’s,” Draco says, striding towards the wall. “The Dark Lord took father’s some months ago, and Mother gave me this to defend myself with tonight.” Draco spins and faces you. “I can’t leave her defenseless like that. I need to get mine back, and return this to her, then we can all get the fuck out of here.”

“Okay,” you say, your mind spinning as the large doors appear on the wall again. “But let me talk to him-- Harry. You two don’t exactly get on. Maybe I can convince him.”

Draco nods. “Okay.”

The doors open, and you step into the room for Hiding. You’d come here before with Draco to watch him work with the vanishing cabinet. As the two of you walk between the towering stacks, you think about all the things you done with Draco which could possibly be categorized into ‘The Dark Lord’s Unknowing Bidding’. It terrified you.

The two of you freeze, when you hear a clatter around a corner, and then a curse that sounds like Harry’s voice. You turn to Draco, a finger to your lips, and he nods. You go off in the direction of the noise. 

You turn the corner ahead of you, and there is Harry, holding what looks like a tiara. He looks up, eyes wide, and for a moment neither of you say anything.

“Harry,” your voice comes out with a crack. “You… you’re okay.”

"Y'n." Harry’s lip twitches. “I’ve been better, I suppose.”

You stand there awkwardly for another beat. “Listen, about that day-”

“It doesn’t matter,” Harry cuts you off. “You did what you could. But, why? You two knew it was me. Why did Malfoy lie?”

“I… I dunno. I guess only he could answer that. He never told me,” you say, looking down at your feet. “Listen, Harry… I know you have Draco’s wand. He really needs it back.” You spare a glance at the piece of Hawthorn wood clutched in Harry’s hand.

Harry’s face takes on it’s usual look of arrogance. “Well, I sort of need it probably a little more than he does. Now if you don’t mind I’ll…”

Harry trails off, and you feel Draco’s presence behind you. You turn, and see Draco glaring at Harry, wand raised. You turn back in a huff. “Bloody fuck, Draco.”

“Malfoy,” Harry spits.

“You heard her. If you would, hand over my property,” Draco sneers. You can’t help but roll your eyes at their usual bickering, despite the circumstances.

One of them seems likely to spit another insult, when Ron and Hermione come barreling around the corner. “A SPRITE!” Ron cries, “A DUST SPRITE SET THE BLOODY PLACE ON FIRE!”

Hermione grabs Harry’s hand as she runs past, and the three disappear down the aisle next to them. You hear the fire before you see it, but the wall of orange flame quickly proceeds the crackling sound. “Oh, fucking hell!”

You grab Draco’s hand and you quickly start sprinting back the way you came. At least you think it’s the way you came, but the fire starts coming from all sides, and you don’t which way to go. Next to you, Draco looks terrified.

“Climb!” You yell. If you can get to the top of a stack and locate the door, maybe you can use a water spell to get through the fire. You and Draco frantically scramble up a pile of chairs and tables, but the smoke is getting too thick to see through. Everywhere around you is flames of orange, and they’re already starting to lick up the sides of the pile.

Both of you desperately cast water charms to fend off the fire, but it’s almost no use. You’re beginning to think you’re going to die in the Room, when you spot movement out of the corner of your eye-- It’s the trio, on brooms, headed straight towards you. As the pass overhead, Ron reaches down and grabs you by the arm, jerking you up and into the air with him.

You clamber on behind him, one hand gripping your wand and the other the broom for dear life. You look around Ron’s torso to see Hermione cast a water charm that hold back the flames just long enough for the three of you to fly through. The moment the broom exits the door, you and Ron bail, the broom hitting the far wall of the corridor and splintering. Next to you, Hermione nearly crashes as well, and Draco and Harry land beside you to your left. You curl up on your side, coughing uncontrollably. The smoke is still stinging your eyes, and they water.

“Harry, the Horcrux!” Hermione screeches. You barely have time to wipe your eyes as the trio sits up, also coughing. Harry rolls away from Draco and tosses the tiara he was holding earlier onto the floor, and Ron, who’s the only one on his feet, gives it a hard kick. It flies into the fire, emitting a horrible screech and black smoke before the doors to the Room slam shut. 

“Bloody  _ Hell _ ,” Ron swears, putting his hands on his knees before breaking into another coughing fit. 

Harry scrambles to his feet. “The cup? Is it gone?”

Hermione produces a small, blackened goblet from inside her jacket. Ron pulls her to her feet, and the three of them take off down the hall at a remarkable speed. You’re just now regaining your ability to breathe. “Hey, Dray?” You stretch your your hand to feel for Draco’s, and you’re able to hook the tips of your fingers together and you lay on the floor, catching your breath.

“What’s up, sweets?” He manages.

“I said,  _ let me do the talking _ .”

Draco lets out a raspy laugh, and you turn your head to look at him. He’s got a smudge of soot on his cheek and ash in his platinum hair. “I know, I’m sorry.”

You both get up slowly. Draco still has Narcissa’s wand clutched firmly in his hand. “What do we do now?”

“We need to find a place to hide,” says Draco. “I can’t find my parents now. It’s too difficult.” He swallows thickly. “Come on, I know a place we can go.”

You take off down the halls again, this time at a slower pace. Draco leads you to a corridor you’ve ever been to before, and at the end there’s a small alcove, that leads to a tiny nook behind the wall. One skinny window offers a view to the forest side of the castle, and moonlight streams though it. Draco slumps against the wall and removes his jacket. You waste no time settling into his lap, your arms around his neck. You both smell like fire and are covered in soot, but it's the safest you've felt in weeks.  


“My heart is still beating so fast,” you whisper.

“I know,” Draco replies. “Mine, too.” 

After a while, the adrenaline leaves you, and you feel utterly exhausted. That combined with being back in Draco’s strong arms, it’s enough for you to fall asleep for a little while.

 

You wake in the same position, Draco gently stroking your hair. “Hi.”

“Hey,” you say, you voice still a bit raspy.

“You, um, you missed it. He spoke.” You don’t need to ask to know who ‘he’ is.

“How? What did he say?”

“I don’t know, but it was like his voice was everywhere.” Draco’s grip on your shoulder tightens ever so slightly when he says that. “He’s called everyone off. To let people gather the dead. Potter has one hour to turn himself over, or they’ll all come back.”

You digest what Draco has just said. “What time is it?” 

“It’s just past four in the morning, I reckon.”

“Draco, I don’t want to go.” Your voice sounds small in the tiny space.

“I don’t want to go either.” He whispers.

So you don’t. You stay in the tiny room at the end of the corridor for a little while longer. Draco tells you how lonely he was at home without you, and you tell him about your equally empty-feeling month at school. 

“I can’t live without you again, y/n.”

“I can’t either,” you reply immediately, grasping Draco’s hand.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“...will you be my girlfriend?”

You lift your head off Draco’s chest to look him in the eye, feeling shocked.. 

Draco starts again. “I’m only asking because I think it would be inappropriate to ask for your hand if we aren't officially togeth-”

You cut off his words with a kiss, not like your one in the hall hours ago, but a softer one, that reminded you of a time before, two years ago in a broom closet similar to the nook you were in now. Your lips part gently. “Of course, love,” you whisper against his mouth. “You think I wear this ring for no reason?”

Draco looks up at you. “Merlin, I don’t know how I made it one day without you.”

“I’m not sure either.”

Your limbs are tangled together, lips moving in tandem, when your attention is caught by a bright flash of red and white from outside the small window. Sparks are coming up from somewhere in the Forbidden Forest. You can Draco look for a moment before his hands tighten at your clothes. “We have to go.” Draco says.

You make your way through the empty halls, most of which are full of rubble. A whole side of the main staircase has been obviated. You near the Great Hall, and you hear voices. The two of you peek around the corner, and your breath catches. Laid in neat rows along the floor of the great hall are at least thirty bodies; students, teachers, people you don’t recognize. You pull back from around the corner, crashing into Draco’s chest. He pulls you against him instantly. “Hey, hey it’s okay. Just breathe,” he soothes.

“Draco… there’s so many. We didn’t do anything to help.” Tears spring to your eyes.

To this, Draco says nothing. You pull away and rub your eyes with the back of your hand, forcing yourself to pull it together. You peer around the corner again, your eyes sweeping the bodies quickly to see if there’s anyone you know. The only person you recognize is Ron Weasley’s older brother. His whole family is here, and Ron is sat on the ground near him, one of Hermione’s arms across his shoulders.

You’re still watching the scene in the Hall when feel Draco’s arm stiffen against your back. You turn back to ask him what’s wrong, when you your eyes catch on what he’s looking at. Through the crumbling entrance to the courtyard, you see a large group of people dressed in black making their way across the main bridge to Hogwarts. A familiar looming figure rises above the rest, a smaller body clutched in his arms. 

You’re not the only person who’s noticed. People gather near you and Draco at the entrance to the Great Hall, watching the horrible procession grow closer. You and Draco both feel rooted to the spot as everyone comes closer into view-- Voldemort, live and in the flesh, stands barefoot  as his Death Eaters fiil the courtyard behind him, a massive python slithering around his legs. Hagrid stands just behind him, holding a limp Harry in his arms. You feel like you can’t breath. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny push their way out of the Great Hall and run down the stairs. Other students and adults follow them. 

Hagrid is sobbing, clutching Harry close to his chest. Voldemort raises his hands. “Harry Potter… is dead!”

Ginny screams in anguish, and Ron holds her back from lunging at him. She sinks to the ground with her brother, sobbing. You and Draco inch towards to the courtyard doorway, looking across the crowd. You finally get a good look at Harry laying lifeless in Hagrid’s embrace, and you put a hand over your mouth. 

“Stupid girl,” Voldemort drawls. “Harry Potter is dead. From this day forward, you put your faith, in  _ me _ .” He turns away from Ginny’s hunched form, and turns to the Death Eaters behind him. “Harry Potter is dead!”

They all chorus their laughs, Draco’s aunt Bellatrix’s high-pitched cackle rising over all the rest. She skips forward with glee, balancing herself on a piece of rubble to better survey the scene below. But you notice one figure in the front who is not laughing like the rest. With a jolt, you recognize her across the courtyard as Narcissa, standing next to Lucius. She’s scanning the crowd, looking for her son.

“Draco,” you say, your voice barely above a whisper. You don’t dare glance over to see his reaction, but Draco squeezes your hand in acknowledgement. 

“Now is the time to declare yourself!” Voldemort decrees. “Come forward and join us, or die.”

No one moves.

Then, softly across the silent courtyard, Lucius calls. “Draco.”

Your heart clamps in your chest. You didn’t know they’d spotted him.

“Draco,” he says again, this time with more desperation. 

You spare a glance up at your boyfriend. His eyes aren’t even on his parents, instead they’re focused on the ground in front of him. He’s gripping your hand so hard it’s almost painful. Your eyes dart back across the courtyard, and you see his parents standing there with absolute desperation painted all over their faces. Everyone around you has turned to look, to see what Draco does. Voldemort is looking right at him. 

“Draco, come.” This time it’s Narcissa. Draco squeezes his eyes shut. 

You try to loosen your grip in Draco’s hand, to tell him to just go, to leave you, but he just holds on tighter. Draco gives the smallest shake of his head.

Voldemort tilts his head to the side, taking in the exchange with interest. “Well, Lucius, it seems your son is still just as insubordinate and… lovestruck as the last time we spoke.” Lucius, mortified, steps back into the crowd of Death Eaters behind him. Narcissa looks stricken by Draco’s betrayal. “Draco, it’s such a pity. Your aunt was always quick to vouch for your skills.”

Indeed, Bellatrix looks confused by the scene unfolding in front of her, arms crossed but a look of confusion on her face. She doesn’t try to plead with Draco as his parents had, however.

“Not to worry, we’ll sort this out,” Voldemort assures. He raises his hand, his knobby wand pointed at Draco.

You move on instinct, stepping in front of Draco as the spell sparks from the tip of Voldemort’s wand. You swipe your wand in front of you and Draco, effectively blocking the green killing curse. Assorted gasps rise up from both sides of the courtyard. Voldemort has a look of genuine shock on his face.

“He is not going to be the one to die today.” You say with as much confidence as you can muster. 

In the silent moment hanging in the air after your declaration, Neville moves forward, a slight limp in his step. He clutches the tattered sorting hat in one of his hands. “She’s right, you know.”

Voldemort slowly lowers his wand, looking at Neville with fascination. 

“Yes, Harry is dead. But he’s still with us, in here.” Neville points to his heart. “And so is everyone else lying in that Hall right now. None of them died in vain, but you will! Because you’re wrong! Harry’s heart did beat for us! For all of us!” Neville reaches into the sorting hat, pulling the gleaming sword of Gryffindor from it’s depths. At that precise moment, Harry rolls from Hagrid’s arms, very much alive. All the students and teachers erupt into cheers.

It’s chaos again. Harry shoots a fire spell at the snake around Voldemort’s feet, and Death Eaters fly away into the sky in clouds of black. Neville runs forward, the sword in hand, slashing at the snake. You pull Draco with you as you run down the side of the stairs, headed towards the hall that goes around the courtyard. “Come on, we have to get to your parents!”

Draco, the stronger one, pulls you behind a pillar instead. “Why did you do that?” He cries, nearly hysterical. “If you’d been hit I would’ve-”

“Been alive! That’s what matters to me!” You screech over the noise of battle. “Too many of my classmates died today because we didn’t help them, and I sure as hell was not going to let you join them!”

You’re not sure if Draco’s about to argue back or kiss you, but he doesn’t get the chance. Two people are running down the hall, screaming his name. His parents.

Draco lets go of your hand somewhat reluctantly, but collapses into his mother’s arms. She holds onto him tightly while Lucius stands awkwardly to the side. She pulls back and Draco puts her wand in her hands. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out.

“Don’t apologize, Draco. You made the right decision.” Narcissa grips Draco’s wrists, and gives him a kiss on his cheek. She catches your gaze over his shoulder and lets go of her son.

She takes a few steps towards you and takes you into a tight embrace. “Thank you. Thank you for saving him,” she whispers into your ear. In the moment, all you can do his hug her back.

Narcissa holds you at arm’s length, and turns back to her family. “We need to leave, right now,” she says. 

Narcissa is still holding onto you, intending for all four of you to make your escape. But you stand firm, catching her and Lucius by surprise. “I can’t leave,” you say. “My friends are here. I won’t stand by again and do nothing while they protect our school.”

“Then I’m staying, too,” Draco says firmly. 

“Draco, stop this. You made your statement, you chose her once, but now we need to  _ leave. _ ” Lucius almost growls. 

“I’m done doing what you want, father.” Draco spits. 

Lucius eyes are nearly aflame, but Narcissa steps between them. “Enough.” She turns to Draco one last time. “Please, be safe. Come back to us in one piece.” She grabs her husband’s arm, and the two of them disappear in a cloud of black smoke.

When the dust finally settles, there is only one body lying on the ground. And this time, it isn’t Harry’s. The Boy Who Lived had finally prevailed, the wizarding world safe from his thirst for absolute power. There is celebration, but it’s somber. You and Draco sit in the corner of the great hall, holding each other close. No one really comes near you two. Across the Great Hall, you make eye contact with Harry. You exchange a look of mutual understanding, and a nod. That’s all.

In time, you heal. You still wake often, in a cold sweat, Draco’s lifeless face imprinted onto the back of your eyelids, or the feeling of near death gripping your own chest. But he is always right beside you in the bed, breathing and alive.

You go with him to his parents trials, holding his hand as you listen to the minister give his father a life sentence. Dry his tears when you finally return home. His mother visits the two of you frequently.

 

You move the ring from your right hand to your left. You’re missing a lot of things, but at least he’s not one of them.


End file.
